Ouisa Davis: Triple-A nickname 'Chihuahuas' deemed masterstroke

When the name of the Triple-A baseball team was announced, it elicited a sharp guffaw from the deepest reaches of my being. When I saw the logo, I began to laugh until there were tears in my eyes.

Yes, a descent into hilarity was my response to the naming of the El Paso Chihuahuas. It was a surprising response. I spent the rest of the day yapping at coworkers and colleagues, trying different baseball cheers and jeers.

People love Chihuahuas. They're loud, yappy, hyper, over-protective and they never quit. They dance around our feet and make us smile.

What's in a name? For lovers of the feisty animal, a Chihuahua delves up images of fiercely loyal pups whose lineage reaches back to the Mayan and Aztec empires. For those who believe in America and apple pie, it connotes some negative tie to Mexico (even though we live in the Chihuahuan Desert) and a level of affront that escapes me.

Remember the Taco Bell backlash when Gidget hit the scene? That marketing ploy was as annoying as the Frito Bandito of the 1970s. The public outcry against the use of a Chihuahua in the campaign and the insult to the Hispanic community was loud -- and carried Taco Bell all the way to the bank. They eventually dropped the little mascot, but the stickers, toys and memories of that campaign resonate to this day -- and her 2009 death warranted a headline. In a word, it was a success.

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The range of emotions tied to the naming of a baseball team boggles the mind and calls into deeper question the level of virulence the naming has surfaced.Various camps hold various opinions. To those never in favor of the team, the demolition of City Hall for the baseball field and the likely fiscal impact on the local taxpayer, the name added insult to injury. To those resenting public dollars levied toward an entertainment district as opposed to other forms of economic development, it is a ploy. To those supporting Chihuahuas, local baseball, Downtown redevelopment or the individual proponents of the plan, the name was a masterstroke.The response to naming the team is symptomatic of the spirit surrounding the redevelopment of Downtown El Paso. A large segment of the community feels disenfranchised in the decision-making; they will never be pleased. Others believe in the dream and will support any efforts to bring it to fruition. Most people have bigger problems to worry about. Here's my thought -- it's a done deal. I'm not a big fan of the dogs or the plan but I love baseball. I hated the demise of the Diablos, but once the team lost its ranking it was a matter of time. When investors stepped forward with the deal, there was little consideration of the public outcry to come. The demolition of City Hall for the ball field drew thousands of spectators, including those secretly watching it on television while publicly decrying the entire spectacle. In light of the rancor, there was no way the naming of the team would have pleased everyone, no matter what it could have been.

For every disgruntled person demanding a refund of their season tickets, there are others in line to snap them up. Kids are sure to love the little pup so parents will brave the eventual Downtown traffic jams leading to the eventual ballpark. If nothing else, the swag associated with the team is a hit; sales are through the roof. And now we get to name him/her/it.

So I guess the controversy about the ballpark and all things associated will eventually die down. We have bigger issues afoot and bigger challenges to our daily lives; bread and circuses cannot divert us for long.

But they do divert us temporarily. So, play ball!

Ouisa D. Davis is an attorney at law in El Paso. E-mail: Ouisadavis@yahoo.com